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25th July 2017

The venue for Society meetings has changed and the directions to it given on p. 126 of the July 2017 issue are incorrect. Meetings are held at the Hall of St. Botolph’s Church, Bishopsgate, London EC2M 3TL. The Hall is set in a small garden behind the church, less than 2 minutes’ walk from Liverpool St. mainline and underground stations.

Reason for choice: I have always been fascinated by problems
in which the play of each side imitates the other, either
formally or strategically, or both. The natural home for
such work is the duplex helpmate, in which not only does
Black help White to mate, but White proceeds to help Black
to do the same: both sides fulfil the stipulation. This
problem, by a very talented Indian composer, was an
inspiration to me when I was first attempting this form of
composition. The strategic correspondence of the two parts
is perfect. The first move is a self-block, the second an
interference-unpin on e4 (at the same time opening an
essential line), the third is a reciprocal unpin by the
unpinned piece, allowing mate by double check on the fourth. Beautiful. And note how all 6 line-pieces participate in both parts. Who could ask for more?